How to Change the Date & Time Setting on Your iPhone

With the Date & Time setting on your iPhone, you can have the iPhone set the time automatically, using the time reported by the cellular network (and adjusted for your time zone).

In your neck of the woods, the time is probably reported as 11:32 PM (or whatever time it happens to be). But in some circles, it’s reported as 23:32. If you prefer the latter format on the iPhone’s status bar, tap the 24-Hour Time setting (under Date & Time) to turn on the setting.

If you’ve turned off the option to set the time automatically, you’re asked to select the time zone and then set the date and time manually. Here’s how:

Tap Set Automatically so that it’s off.

You see fields for setting the time zone and the date and time.

Tap the Time Zone field.

The current time zone and virtual keyboard are shown.

Tap out the letters of the city or country whose time zone you want to enter until the one you have in mind appears. Then tap the name of that city or country.

The Time Zone field is automatically filled in for that city.

Tap the Set Date & Time field so that the time is shown. Then roll the bicycle-lock-like controls until the proper time is displayed.

Tap the date shown so that the bicycle-lock-like controls pop up for the date. Then roll the wheels for the month, day, and year until the correct date appears.

Tap the Date & Time button to return to the main Date & Time settings screen.